short Field in a 172 is frustrating me !!! HELP

[iflyforpie]

I used to fly a Cherokee 140 in and out of Princeton (3,900 feet, 2298 ASL) in the summer with the whole family and luggage (max gross) and we never came close to using the whole runway. This was with 25 flaps.

We did have to follow the valley west until we got over the plateau and it would not climb above 7,500 feet without considerable persuasion (okay for Allison Pass back to Chilliwack, but a bit dicey going direct).

[KAG]

in flight training, a true short field landing isnt demonstrated or practiced, In the real world , power is incrementally ADVANCED, the shorter the field is AND in the flare, power isnt reduced , BUT acvanced further!!! The back side of the power curve isnt practiced much !!!

You mean like this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuE2cW8NMx8
Seems like a very bad idea for a student to try.

I used to teach on Cherokee's, about 1000 hours. I used to go into a 1600' grass strip to teach short/soft field's. Full flap, power on approach, POH speeds, with the power reduction in the round out, plant it don't greese it. Simple technique that seemed to work.
The PA28140 is a Great plane, I'd buy one for myself if I ever buy a plane.

[Shiny Side Up]

The PA28140 is a Great plane, I'd buy one for myself if I ever buy a plane.

On the used airplane market these days a nice 140 is probably your best bang for your buck where most private owners are concerned. Some of the 140s I've flown outperform their other Piper stable mates (the 151, 160, 180 even the 200) in a variety of areas, most importantly to this discussion is in rate of climb and take off/landing performance.

Its tougher to make short field landings with the Cherokee as I find their not as responsive in the bottom end of the speed arc as their Cessna counterparts and I find the stabilator gives you less feel for how close you are to the end of it. The Cherokees with STOL kits are especially bad since the airplane wants to fly well down past where you have good rudder authority. Not to say its that difficult, but takes a bit of practice to master. Lastly lots of Cherokees only got handbrakes, which can be difficult to be reaching for if you're not very long limbed when you've got the control column back in the flare and touchdown.

[niss]

\ Lastly lots of Cherokees only got handbrakes, which can be difficult to be reaching for if you're not very long limbed when you've got the control column back in the flare and touchdown.

Not my baby....1966 c/w toe breaks ON BOTH SIDES! c/w visors and pitot heat.

The caddilac of 140s..... wut!

[AMM]

plant it don't greese it

I cant recall if I lost a mark or not on my private flight test for making the short field too smooth (I did make the agreed turnoff). Either way, the examiner did mention it post flight. It was something I was surprised to hear, as my instructor never commented on it. In retrospect, it makes perfect sense that you should "plant it", but the motivation is just not there when the runway is some 4000'.

a beautiful 1400 foot grass strip, which we
use for short/soft/obstacle takeoff and landing
in the 172's here

I think more FTUs should use something in that range (density alt permitting). It would provide the actual experience.

[Shiny Side Up]

I think more FTUs should use something in that range. It would provide the actual experience.

Be sure to check how density altitude affects your performance before going out and trying the "actual experience".

[AMM]

I made the edit just as u wrote the reply.
I completely agree. 1500 or so @ sea level in standard atmosphere.

[Hedley]

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